Letter-box



(No Model.)

W. W. SPEER. LETTER B0X.

in www me nomma PETERS co.. Fumo-urso., wnsummou, u. c.

NTTED STATES PATENT FFIcE.

VILLIAM WV. SPEER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

LETTER-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 472,182, dated April 5, 1892. Applioatml flied October 14, 1891. Serial No. 408,687. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. SPEER, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in mail-boxes; the object of the invention being to produce a mail-box 1 or the reception of letters and papers or parcels in separate compartments, and to so construct the box that it will be impossible for anyone to withdraw the contents of either compartment of the box through the openings at which they are inserted.

A further object is to construct a mail-box which shall be very simple, possess a great amount of strength and rigidity, and which shall be effectual in the performance of allits functions. y

Vith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of'construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,'Figure 1 is a side View of my improved mail-box. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a section of the upper or letter receptacle. Y Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the lower or package receptacle. Fig. 5 is a detail View.

The lower or package receptacle lA is composed of a series of steel plates ct, at the top, bottom, sides, and ends of which angle-irons b are located, to which angle-irons the steel plates a are secured in any suitable manner. One of the end plates ct of the lower receptacle is c ut away for the accommodation of a door c, which door is hinged to one of the lower angle-irons b, and adapted to be secured by a hasp d, hinged to the end plate b of the box.

In one side of the lower receptacle of the box an opening e is made for the insertion of parcels and papers. Ata point somewhat below the opening e a door or drop C is hinged and composed of two plates t t', the platez' beingprovided with a thumb-piece and adapted the matter to be deposited will be placed on the plate t', after which the drop will be closed, whereupon the mail-matter will drop into the receptacle.

The upper or letter receptacle A is located on the lower receptacleA and secured thereto by means of bolts or rivets passing through the bottom of the receptacle A and through the upper angle-irons of the lower receptacle. This upper receptacle may be made of one or more pieces of sheet-steel bent up into proper shape and held together by means of angleirons f. The upper receptacle A is also provided with a door g, which is kept normally locked by alhasp and padlock. An opening h is made in the roof h of the letter-receptacle, which is maintained normally closed by means of a drop C. The drop C is composed of a skeleton made of, preferably, cast-iron sides l and steel rim 2, the ends of the steel rim being fastened to the sides 1. The sides 1 are provided with perforated bosses 3, said bosses being also made with recesses 4. The ends of the box are perforated for` the accommodation of the contracted ends 5 of lugs 6, thus producing bearings for the jdrop or guard. The bosses 3 and lugs 6 are held together by means of bolts 7 passing through them. An arm l projectsfrom one of the lugs 6, and on the end of this arm is a weight j, which serves to maintain the drop or guard normally in position to close the elongated opening in the roof of the box. Substantially this same form of drop Aor guard has been shown and described more or less in detailin applications, Serial No. 408,956, tiled by me October 16, 1891, and Serial No. 406,969 led September 24, 1891, and, as it is claimed in the latter application, I make no claim to it in this case.

A mai1box constructed in the manner as above set forth is very simple and cheap to manufacture, is very strong and rigid in construction, and effectual in the performance of its functions.

As shown in the drawings, the angle-irons b may be extended below the bottom of the box to producelegs or rests g.

TCO

Slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope; hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A mail-box composed of metal plates and divided into compartments, and angle-irons securing said plates together, the angle-irons securing the upper plates being located inside and those connecting the lower plates being located outside and extended at their lower ends to form legs, substantially as set forth.

2. A mail-box composed of metal plates having Witnesses.

WILLIAM W. SPEER. Titnessesz JOHN D. SPEER, D. A. PITCAIRN. 

